Battlefield chess game

ABSTRACT

Battlefield Chess (BC) differs from conventional chess (CC). First BC has a number of moves in addition to the moves of CC. For example, the knight in CC can move forward, backward, and sideways in an L-shape, for example, 2 spaces forward and then 1 space right or left. Two other differences are the size of the board [22 by 22 (=484 playing spaces)] for BC, compared to 8 by 8 (=64 playing spaces) for CC], and the number of playing pieces. CC has 8 pawns, 2 rooks, 2 knights, 2 bishops 1 queen, and 1 king for each of the 2 teams or individuals playing the game. In BC, each side has 22 pawns, 6 rooks, 6 knights, 6 bishops, 3 queens, and 1 king. The larger playing board, more playing pieces, and additional allowed moves make BC much more challenging than CC.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates generally to a new, more challenging chess game. In particular, the present invention relates to a larger playing board (with more playing positions on the playing board), more playing pieces, and additional new rules that increase the level of difficulty of the game, compared to the conventional, old-in-the-art chess game, as well as to other non-standard chess games that have been invented over the years since the first game of chess.

2. Background of the Related Art

Variations on the standard game of chess have been disclosed in the prior art, particularly relevant inventions being those designed to enhance the level of difficulty to create a more challenging game. Exemplary inventions include U.S. Pat. No. 4,093,237 to Weiss, which discloses a chess game for up to four players, and a chess board with four differently colored areas, and four differently colored chess pieces, whose respective colors match the board colors on which they operate. The chess pieces are identical to those of standard chess, and the rules for the movement of the chess pieces are identical to those of standard chess except for the pawns. The pawns may be moved one square at a time: forward, backward, or sideways, and diagonally only to capture an opponent's playing piece.

Numerous patents have disclosed the use of large playing boards (large with respect to the number of playing positions—compared to the conventional, old-in-the-art chess game), and/or one or more additional standard playing pieces compared to the standard, old-in-the-art chess game. Examples of such variations over conventional, old-in-the-art chess include 2006/0279042 to Stevenson, et al. (400 playing squares on the playing board; 22 pawns); U.S. Pat. No. 5,749,583 to Sadounichvili, et al. (48 playing pieces, etc.); U.S. Pat. No. 6,702,287 to Pendexter (14 pawns, etc.); U.S. Pat. No. 5,642,885 to Gustin (15 pawns); U.S. Pat. No. 5,511,793 to Watt (144 playing squares on the playing board); U.S. Pat. No. 6,550,770 to Rackliff (6 knights); and U.S. Pat. No. 5,280,713 to Sirk (16 pawns). Similar disclosures have also been made in other patents, including WO 01/30467 (3 queens, 6 rooks, etc.); WO 91/01781 (13 pawns); 2002/0101033 to Pellegrini, et al.; and Canadian Patent No. 2,248,416 (16 pawns, etc.). In addition, a copyright was filed on limited aspects of the present invention in 2004: namely, the use of a 22 by 22 playing board; the ability to move up to 3 pieces per turn; and the capability of using a computerized version of the http://hclibrary.org/game. In this copyright, the name applied to the game is “Battlefield Chess.”

Variations of chess games played on a circular board have been disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,991,856 to Hoerbelt and U.S. Pat. No. 6,592,123 to Mattlage, et al. Variations of 3-person chess have been disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,357,748 to Tomkovich (which version incorporates a triangular-shaped game board) and U.S. Pat. No. 5,158,302 to Rewega. A 4-person chess game has been disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,102,399 to Kifer. Three-dimensional chess games have been disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,556,099 to Mardirosian and U.S. Pat. No. 5,860,651 to Fierro.

A political chess game has been disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,063,323 to Khodabandeh. This game features two sets of game pieces, each set including both a set of pieces from a conventional chess game, and an auxiliary set of political game pieces—including Orientals, Camels, Donkeys, and Elephants.

U.S. Pat. No. 7,500,673 to Arias, III discloses a combination of a chess game and a card game, whereby the disclosed combination game is more difficult to play than either the chess game or the card game alone.

Other challenging variations of conventional chess have been disclosed, including U.S. Pat. No. 5,449,178 to Castronova, U.S. Pat. No. 6,550,770 to Rackliff, and U.S. Pat. No. 7,118,109 to Labetti.

Although the above disclosed prior art examples articulate the incorporation of new elements that make the game more challenging or more interesting, none have described the combination of all of the elements of the present invention. Hence, a need exists for a game of chess that is challenging to those game players who are highly skilled in the conventional, old-in-the-art game of chess, and desire a chess game that is more fitting to their level of knowledge, skill, and intellect.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An object of the present invention is to provide solutions to the above described limitations and disadvantages of prior art chess games, and to provide at least one or more of the new features described hereinafter.

In particular, it is an object of the present invention to provide a chess game that is more challenging than the conventional, old-in-the-art chess game.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a chess game that has a larger number of playing pieces than the conventional, old-in-the-art chess game, wherein those playing pieces comprise more of certain ones of the conventional chess game playing pieces.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a chess game that is played on an expanded board that is 22 playing spaces wide, and 22 playing spaces deep.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a chess game that utilizes 22 pawns.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a chess game that utilizes 6 rooks.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a chess game that utilizes 6 knights.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a chess game that utilizes 6 bishops.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a chess game that utilizes 3 queens.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a chess game wherein, at commencement of the game, the 3 queens (numbered 1, 2, and 3) are located sequentially beside (and immediately to the left of) the king, and queen number 1 is to the immediate left of the king, when viewed from behind the respective end-most row.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a chess game wherein, at commencement of the game, 3 of the bishops are located sequentially to the immediate left of queen number 3 (with bishop number 1 being located immediately adjacent to, and to the left of, queen number 3), and the remaining 3 bishops are located sequentially to the immediate right of the king (with bishop number 4 being located immediately adjacent to, and to the right of, the king, when viewed from behind the respective end-most row).

Another object of the present invention is to provide a chess game wherein, at commencement of the game, three of the knights (numbered 1, 2, and 3) are located sequentially to the left of bishop number 3 (with knight number 1 being located immediately adjacent to, and to the left of, bishop number 3), and the remaining three bishops (numbered 4, 5, and 6) are located immediately and sequentially to the right of bishop number 6 [with knight number 4 being located immediately adjacent to (and to the right of) bishop number 6, when viewed from behind the respective end-most row].

Another object of the present invention is to provide a chess game wherein, at commencement of the game, 3 of the rooks (numbered 1, 2, and 3) are located immediately adjacent to, and sequentially to the left of, knight number 3 [with rook number one being located immediately adjacent to (and to the left of) knight number 3], and the remaining 3 rooks (numbered 4, 5, and 6) are locate immediately and sequentially to the right of knight number 6 [with rook number 4 being located immediately adjacent to (and to the right of) knight number 6, when viewed from behind the respective end-most row].

Another object of the present invention is to provide a chess game wherein, at commencement of the game, the pawns are located immediately in front of the other playing pieces (king, queens, bishops, knights, and rooks), wherein one pawn is located in front of each of the other non-pawn playing pieces belonging to a given player or team.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a chess game wherein, at each of his or her respective turns, each player or team can make one, two or three movements of playing pieces according to the rules of the present game.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a chess game wherein one rule for moving a pawn is that it may be moved forward from one, up to a maximum of 6, playing spaces on the pawn's first move of the game, and straight forward one or two playing spaces thereafter at the sole option of the respective player (or team) who is playing such a given pawn.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a chess game that has a larger number of playing pieces than the conventional, old-in-the-art chess game, wherein the numbers of each of the playing pieces utilized in a given game is selected at, or prior to, commencement of a chess game.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a chess game that is played on a playing board that is larger than the conventional playing board that is 8 playing spaces wide, and 8 playing spaces deep.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a chess game wherein, at each of his or her respective turns, each player or team can make one or more movements of playing pieces per turn, the maximum number of movements per turn being determined by the respective players or the respective teams.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a chess game wherein, at each of his or her respective turns, each player or team can make one or more movements of playing pieces per turn, the maximum number of movements per turn being changed throughout a game in a manner determined by the respective players or the respective teams.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a chess game wherein the positions of each of the playing pieces located on the respective end-most rows at commencement of a game are different from the positions in the conventional, old-in-the-art chess game.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a chess game wherein the positions of each of the playing pieces located on the respective end-most rows at commencement of a game are different from the positions in the conventional, old-in-the-art chess game, and are independently selectable by each respective team or each respective player such that the opponent does not see the positions until commencement of the game.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

FIG. 1 shows the initial positions of the 88 playing pieces (44 playing pieces for each player or each playing team) on the playing board's 22 by 22 array of alternating light and dark playing spaces, as described further herein below. The playing pieces may be the same, or similar to, those used in conventional, old-in-the-art chess, or they may be graphic representations of those playing pieces. The playing board and the playing pieces may be physical embodiments similar to those of conventional, old-in-the-art chess; they may be entirely new and dramatically different than those of conventional chess; or they may be virtual embodiments (for example, as depicted on a computer's visualization device, such as a computer screen or monitor, a television, or a projector projecting images and/or text onto a projection screen or onto any other relatively flat surface), as is described further herein below.

ABBREVIATIONS

Q1 through Q3=queen 1 through queen 3; B1 through B6=bishop 1 through bishop 6; K1 through K6=knight 1 through knight 6; R1 through R6=rook 1 through rook 6; P1 through P22=pawn 1 through pawn 22; and Kg=king.

The respective playing pieces are as follows, where the second number within a parenthesis represents the respective playing piece of the opponent: P1 (101 or 301), P2 (102 or 302), P3 (103 or 303), P4 (104 or 304), P5 (105 or 305), P6 (106 or 306), P7 (107 or 307), P8 (108 or 308), P9 (109 or 309), P10 (110 or 310), P11 (111 or 311), P12 (112 or 312), P13 (113 or 313), P14 (114 or 314), P15 (115 or 315), P16 (116 or 316), P17 (117 or 317), P18 (118 or 318), P19 (119 or 319), P20 (120 or 320), P21 (121 or 321), P22 (122 or 322), R6 (201 or 401), R5 (202 or 402), R4 (203 or 403), K6 (204 or 404), K5 (205 or 405), K4 (206 or 406), B6 (207 or 407), B5 (208 or 408), B4 (209 or 409), Kg (210 or 410), Q1 (211 or 411), Q2 (212 or 412), Q3 (213 or 413), B1 (214 or 414), B2 (215 or 415), B3 (216 or 416), K1 (217 or 417), K2 (218 or 418), K3 (219 or 419), R1 (220 or 420), R2 (221 or 421), and R3 (222 or 422).

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention discloses a challenging chess game for 2 players or 2 teams. In particular, in one embodiment, the present invention comprises a game board with 484 playing spaces that are arranged in a 22 by 22 array of alternating light and dark playing spaces (alternating in the directions of forward and backwards in columns, and of sideways in rows) such that, in an end-most row, a light playing space occupies the right corner, when viewed from behind the end-most row. In another embodiment, the positions of the alternating light and dark playing spaces are reversed such that a light playing space occupies the right corner, when viewed from behind the respective end-most row.

Furthermore, the game board may be a physical game board (similar to the game board used in conventional, old-in-the-art chess, except for the number of playing spaces), or a virtual game board. In the case of a virtual game board, it is created, visualized, executed, and utilized via a computer, a software program installed on the hard drive of (or otherwise connected to) the computer, and a visualization device connected to the computer. The virtual playing board is utilized in conjunction with virtual playing pieces; and visualization of the virtual playing board, and visualization of the virtual playing pieces, are clear to a player of normal visual acuity. The visualization device can be a computer screen (or monitor), a television, or a projector that projects onto a projection screen or onto any other relatively flat surface such that visualization of the virtual playing board, and visualization of the virtual playing pieces, are clear to a player of normal visual acuity. The light and dark playing spaces of the playing board may be two differently colored playing spaces such that there is adequate contrast to visually create a relative light-dark alternating pattern in the rows and columns of the playing spaces of the game board, or at least create an easily discernible color contrast such that there is no risk of confusion of the different playing space colors to a player who is not color blind. However, in one embodiment of the present invention, colors of playing spaces may be selected such that players of identified types of colored blindness will have no difficulty distinguishing between the differently colored playing spaces; this is particularly easy to effect when a virtual playing board is utilized, as color selections may be made readily at commencement of a game.

In another embodiment of the present invention, very small playing spaces, very small playing pieces, and very small playing boards may be utilized. When such a very small game is utilized, a magnification means must be used to visualize the very small playing pieces, the very small playing boards, and the very small playing places. Examples of magnification means include (but are not limited to) projectors, computers, scanners, magnifying glasses, cameras, photocopy machines, microscopes, and the like.

At commencement of a game, the present invention uses an expanded set of light and dark game pieces, wherein (as in conventional, state-of-the-art chess) the respective two players', or two teams', game pieces are situated at opposite ends of the game board, and are positioned on the respective two end-most rows at the two respective ends of the game board to be defended by the respective players. The game pieces may be physical game pieces, or virtual game pieces. Furthermore, the playing board may be a physical game board, or a virtual game board.

For each player, the game pieces comprise the following differences (i.e., number of playing pieces or a particular type, and/or position on the playing board) from conventional, old-in-the-art chess:

one king that is positioned in the respective end-most row, and in the tenth playing square from the right (when viewed from behind the respective end-most row in which it is positioned);

22 pawns that are positioned in their respective next-to-the-end-most row such that each pawn is in front of one non-pawn playing piece;

3 queens (queen 1, queen 2, and queen 3) that are positioned on the immediate three playing spaces to the immediate left of the king (when viewed from behind the respective end-most row in which they are positioned), wherein queen 1 is immediately adjacent to, and to the left of the king, queen 2 is immediately adjacent to, and to the left of, queen 1, and queen 3 is immediately adjacent to, and to the left of, queen 2;

6 bishops (bishop 1, bishop 2, bishop 3, bishop 4, bishop 5, and bishop 6), the first three of which are positioned on the three playing spaces located sequentially to the immediate left of queen 3 (when viewed from behind the respective end-most row in which they are positioned; with bishop 1 immediately adjacent to (and to the left of) queen 3, bishop 2 immediately adjacent to (and to the left of) bishop 2, and bishop 3 immediately adjacent to (and to the left of) bishop 2), and the remaining three of which are positioned immediately to the right of the king (when viewed from behind the end-most row in which they are positioned) on the next three sequential and adjacent playing spaces, wherein bishop 4 is immediately adjacent to (and to the right of) the king, bishop 5 is immediately adjacent to (and to the right of) bishop 4, and bishop 6 is immediately adjacent to (and to the right of) bishop 5;

6 knights (knight 1, knight 2, knight 3, knight 4, knight 5, and knight 6), the first three of which are positioned on the next three sequential playing spaces to the immediate left of bishop 3 (when viewed from behind the respective end-most row), and the remaining three of which are positioned to the immediate right of bishop 6 (when viewed from behind the end-most row in which they are positioned), wherein knight 1 is immediately adjacent to (and to the left of) bishop 3, knight 2 is immediately adjacent to (and to the left of) knight 1, knight 3 is immediately adjacent to (and to the left of) knight 2, knight 4 is immediately adjacent to (and to the right of) bishop 6, knights 5 is immediately adjacent to (and to the right of) knight 4, and knight 6 is immediately adjacent to (and to the right of) knight 5; and

6 rooks (rook 1, rook 2, rook 3, rook 4, rook 5, and rook 6), the first three of which are positioned sequentially to the left of knight 3 (when viewed from behind the respective end-most row in which they are positioned), and the remaining three of which are sequentially positioned to the right of knight 6 (when viewed from behind the respective end-most row), wherein rook 1 is located immediately adjacent to (and to the left of) knight 3, rook 2 is located immediately adjacent to (and to the left of) rook 1, rook 3 is located immediately adjacent to (and to the left of) rook 2, rook 4 is located immediately adjacent to (and to the right of) knight 6, rook 5 is located immediately adjacent to (and to the right of) rook 4, and rook 6 is located immediately adjacent to (and to the right of) rook 5.

A set of playing rules is also required; in particular, playing rules that emphasize how the present invention differs from the conventional, old-in-the-art, chess game. According to the present invention, the set of new playing rules (wherein only differences from the rules of conventional, state-of-the-art chess are listed) comprises the following six classes of rules:

Rule 1: At a respective player's option, one, two, or three movements of playing pieces may be made for the player's respective turn.

Rule 2: At a player's option, a king may be moved one or two playing spaces forward, backward, sideways, or diagonally; however, as in conventional, old-in-the-art chess, a king may not jump over another playing piece.

Rule 3: At a player's option, on its first move in a game, a pawn may be moved from one up to six playing spaces forward, and one or two playing spaces forward thereafter in subsequent playing turns.

Rule 4: At a player's option, when in an attack mode against an opponent's playing piece, a pawn must be moved diagonally forward one or two playing spaces in order to capture the opponent's playing piece.

Rule 5: At a player's option, a knight may be moved in an L shape according to various options:

in a first direction, two playing spaces forward, sideways, or backward, followed by movement in a second direction one playing space that is 90 degrees to the left or right relative to the first direction;

in a first direction, one playing space forward, sideways, or backward, followed by movement in a second direction two playing spaces that are 90 degrees to the left or right relative to the first direction;

in a first direction, four playing spaces forward, sideways, or backward, followed by movement in a second direction two playing spaces that are 90 degrees to the left or right relative to the first direction, and

in a first direction, two playing spaces forward, sideways, or backward, followed by movement in a second direction four playing spaces 90 degrees to the left or right relative to the first direction.

Rule 6: The playing rules further comprise:

at a player's or team's option, castling may be effected by moving the king in a first direction five playing spaces to the left or right, followed by the involved rook (that is positioned in the corner of the first direction of movement of the king) being moved in the opposite direction of the first direction of movement of the king, over the king, and positioned to the side of (and immediately adjacent to) the king, wherein (as in conventional, old-in-the-art chess) castling can only be effected when there are not one or more playing pieces located between the king and the involved rook.

As mentioned above, the present challenging chess game can comprise a virtual embodiment, wherein a software program is employed in concert with a computer and one or more viewing devices. In particular, one embodiment of such a software program can comprise code that enables players' or teams' movement of virtual playing pieces on the virtual playing board according to movements allowed by the present set of playing rules, namely those enumerated above, as well as the allowed movements of conventional, old-in-the-art chess that comprise a part of the present invention: i.e., the same allowed movements of bishops and queens. A viewing device may comprise a computer screen (or monitor), a television, or a projector projecting images of the game onto a projection screen or onto any other relatively flat surface, such that visualization of the virtual playing board, and visualization of the virtual playing pieces, are clear to a player of normal visual acuity.

In another embodiment, such a software program can comprise code that limits the movement of virtual playing pieces to only those movements allowed by the set of playing rules, and optionally include a warning or explanation (written or spoken) to the player or team when a disallowed movement of a playing space is attempted.

In yet another embodiment of the overall chess game for 2 players or 2 teams, there is a game board such that there is a variable and selectable number of playing spaces that are arranged in an array of alternating light and dark playing spaces (in the direction of forward and backward columns, and of sideways rows), wherein the variable number of playing spaces is greater than the number of playing spaces of a conventional, old-in-the-art chess game board, the number of playing spaces in the columns is an even number, and the number of playing spaces in the rows is an even number. Furthermore, the game board has opposite ends, each of which is the territory of a respective player or team, wherein, in an end-most row, a light playing space occupies the right corner (when viewed from behind the respective end-most row), and the game board may be a physical game board, or a virtual game board. In addition, this embodiment has two expanded sets of playing pieces (one light and one dark), wherein the set of light playing pieces and the set of dark playing pieces each comprise 1 king, plus a variable number of pawns, queens, bishops, knights, and rooks. At commencement of a game, each set of playing pieces occupies their respective two end-most rows of the game board, wherein the next-to-the-end-most row is occupied solely and entirely by pawns; and the end-most row is occupied by one king, one or more queens, and two or more each of bishops, knights, and rooks. This embodiment has a set of playing rules that differs from conventional, old-in-the-art chess rules. In addition, at, or prior to, commencement of a game, the value of the variable number of playing spaces of the game board is selectable by one of the players or teams, or by mutual agreement of the two players or two teams; and the number of queens, bishops, knights, and rooks is each selectable by one of the players or teams, or by mutual agreement of the two players or two teams. Furthermore, at commencement of a game and for each respective side, the positions of the playing pieces are comparable to their playing positions in conventional chess in that (when viewed from behind the respective end-most row) the one or more rooks on the right side of the game board will always be located to the left of the one or more knights on the right side of the game board, the one or more knights on the right side of the game board will always be located to the right of the one or more bishops on the right side of the game board, and to the left of the one or more rooks on the right side of the game board, the one or more bishops on the right side of the game board will always be located to the right of the one or more queens, and to the left of the one or more knights on the right side of the game board, the one or more queens will always be located to the right of the king, and to the left of the one or more bishops on the right side of the game board, the king will always be to the right of the one or more bishops on the left side of the game board, and to the left of the one or more queens, the one or more bishops on the left side of the game board will always be located to the right of the one or more knights on the left side of the game board, and to the left of the king, the one or more knights on the left side of the game board will always be located to the right of the one or more rooks on the left side of the game board, and to the left of the one or more bishops on the left side of the game board, the one or more rooks on the left side of the game board will always be located to the left of the one or more knights on the left side of the playing board, and all of the pawns for each respective side will fully occupy all of the playing spaces in the respective next-to-the-end-most row. In addition, the set of playing rules differs from conventional, old-in-the-art chess rules with respect to the following: (1) at a respective player's or team's option, more than one consecutive movement of playing pieces may be made for the player's or team's respective turn, the maximum number of allowed consecutive movements being as mutually decided by the two sides at, or prior to, commencement of the game; (2) at a respective player's or team's option, a king may be moved more than one playing space forward, backward, sideways, or diagonally, the number of allowed playing spaces of movement being as mutually decided by the two sides, at or prior to, commencement of the game; (3) at a respective player's or team's option, on its first move in a game, a pawn may be moved any selected number of unobstructed playing spaces forward, and any selected number of unobstructed playing spaces forward thereafter, the respective number of allowed playing spaces of movement for these respective two options being as mutually decided by the two sides at, or prior to, commencement of the game; (4) at a respective player's or team's option, when using a pawn in an attack mode against an opponent's playing piece, the pawn may be moved diagonally forward more than one playing space in order to capture the opponent's playing piece, the maximum number of allowed diagonal playing spaces of movement per turn being as mutually decided by the two sides at, or prior to, commencement of the game; and (5) at a respective player's or team's option, a knight may be moved in an L shape according to variable options, comprising: in a first direction, one or more playing spaces forward, sideways, or backward, followed by movement in a second direction one or more playing spaces 90 degrees to the left or right relative to the first direction, the maximum allowed number of playing spaces of movement in the first and second directions being as mutually decided by the two sides at, or prior to, commencement of the game. In another variation of this embodiment, the set of playing rules differs from conventional, old-in-the-art chess rules with respect to decisions as to the maximum number of allowed playing spaces of movement of the respective playing pieces, wherein such decisions are made by one player or one team. The decision as to which one player or one team makes the decision may optionally be made by chance, comprising by flip of a coin or other physical or virtual entity that has two non-identical sides, by use of a random number generating routine, by use of a random number table, by drawing straws, by use of a die or multiple dice, by use of a rock-paper-scissors type of routine, or by any other chance based routine or activity.

In yet another embodiment of the chess game for 2 players or 2 teams described in the preceding paragraph, the set of playing rules differs from conventional, old-in-the-art chess rules with respect to decisions as to the maximum number of allowed playing spaces of movement of the respective playing pieces, wherein, after commencement of the game, such decisions may be changed one or more times by the same one player or one team, or by the second player or second team. Another embodiment of the chess game for 2 players or 2 teams utilizes (in place of the conventional, old-in-the-art chess game checkmate rule) scoring according to respective points assigned per each respective type of playing piece of the opponent that is captured. Another aspect of this embodiment relates to the physical game board option, whereby the variable number of playing spaces can be controlled by overlaying the physical game board with a flat board having a right angle cut-out such that the flat board can cover the playing spaces determined not to be in play for a given game; furthermore, the flat board having a right angle cut-out and the physical game board employ an attachment means to hold them in place, relative to each other, during game playing, and the attachment means comprises Velcro®, one or more sets of hook-and-eye fasteners, a Post-It-Notes® type of reuseable glue or other reuseable glue, rubber cement, double sided tape, and single sided tape folded flat on itself so that the sticky side is available to effect adherence on at least two different sides. Another aspect of this embodiment is that the positions of the playing pieces are allowed to to be in relative playing positions that are different from those relative playing positions in conventional chess, except for the pawns and the king; and, in yet another aspect, each respective side is allowed to independently determine the relative positions of its playing pieces; furthermore, in another aspect, just prior to commencement of a game, each respective side is allowed to position its playing pieces without the knowledge of the other side. Finally, in yet another aspect of this embodiment, the relative playing positions that are different from those relative playing positions in conventional chess can include the position of the king.

In yet another embodiment of the chess game for 2 players or 2 teams described in the preceding two paragraphs, the set of playing rules differs from conventional, old-in-the-art chess rules with respect to castling. In particular, at a player's or team's option, castling may be effected by moving the king in a first direction a selected number of playing spaces respectively to the left or right, followed by the involved rook (that is the first rook positioned respectively the left or the right of the king) being moved in the opposite direction of the first direction of movement of the king, over the king, and positioned to the side of, and immediately adjacent to, the king, wherein the selected number of playing spaces of movement of the king in the first direction is any number that would move the king from one playing space up to the number of playing spaces required to move the king to the playing space immediately before, and adjacent to, the involved rook, and wherein, too, castling can only be effected when there are not one or more playing pieces located between the king and the involved rook. 

What is claimed:
 1. A chess game for 2 players or 2 teams, comprising: a game board having 484 playing spaces that are arranged in a 22 by 22 array of alternating light and dark playing spaces (in the direction of forward and backward columns, and of sideways rows), and opposite ends, each of which is the territory of a respective player or team, wherein, in an end-most row, a light playing space occupies the right corner (when viewed from behind the respective end-most row), and the game board may be a physical game board, or a virtual game board; two expanded sets of light and dark playing pieces, wherein the set of light playing pieces and the set of dark playing pieces each comprise 1 king, 22 pawns, 3 queens, 6 bishops, 6 knights, and 6 rooks; and a set of playing rules that differs from conventional, old-in-the-art chess rules.
 2. The chess game for 2 players or 2 teams according to claim 1, wherein, at commencement of a game, the players' (or teams') respective sets of playing pieces (situated at the respective opposite ends of the game board) are positioned on the respective two end-most rows where they are defended by the respective player or team; the playing pieces may be physical playing pieces, or virtual playing pieces; and, the respective set of playing pieces for each player or team comprises: 1 king that is positioned in the end-most row, on the tenth playing square from the right (when viewed from behind the respective end-most row); 22 pawns that are positioned in their respective next-to-the-end-most row such that each pawn is in front of one non-pawn playing piece; 3 queens (queen 1, queen 2, and queen 3) that are positioned to the left of the king (when viewed from behind the respective end-most row), wherein queen 1 is immediately adjacent to, and to the left of, the king (when viewed from behind the respective end-most row), queen 2 is immediately adjacent to, and to the left of, queen 1 (when viewed from behind the respective end-most row), and queen 3 is immediately adjacent to, and to the left of, queen 2 (when viewed from behind the respective end-most row); 6 bishops (bishop 1, bishop 2, bishop 3, bishop 4, bishop 5, and bishop 6), the first three of which are positioned to the left of queen 3 (when viewed from behind the respective end-most row), and the remaining three of which are positioned to the right of the king (when viewed from behind the respective end-most row), wherein bishop 1 is immediately adjacent to, and to the left of, queen 3 (when viewed from behind the respective end-most row), bishop 2 is immediately adjacent to, and to the left of, bishop 1 (when viewed from behind the respective end-most row), bishop 3 is immediately adjacent to, and to the left of, bishop 2 (when viewed from behind the respective end-most row), bishop 4 is immediately adjacent to, and to the right of, the king (when viewed from behind the respective end-most row), bishop 5 is immediately adjacent to, and to the right of, bishop 4 (when viewed from behind the respective end-most row), and bishop 6 is immediately adjacent to, and to the right of, bishop 5 (when viewed from behind the respective end-most row); 6 knights (knight 1, knight 2, knight 3, knight 4, knight 5, and knight 6), the first three of which are positioned to the left of bishop 3 (when viewed from behind the respective end-most row), and the remaining three of which are positioned to the right of bishop 6 (when viewed from behind the respective end-most row), wherein knight 1 is immediately adjacent to, and to the left of, bishop 3 (when viewed from behind the respective end-most row), knight 2 is immediately adjacent to, and to the left of, knight 1 (when viewed from behind the respective end-most row), knight 3 is immediately adjacent to, and to the left of, knight 2 (when viewed from behind the respective end-most row), knight 4 is immediately adjacent to, and to the right of, bishop 6 (when viewed from behind the respective end-most row), knight 5 is immediately adjacent to, and to the right of, knight 4, and knight 6 is immediately adjacent to, and to the right of, knight 5; and 6 rooks (rook 1, rook 2, rook 3, rook 4, rook 5, and rook 6), the first three of which are positioned to the left of knight 3 (when viewed from behind the respective end-most row), and the remaining three of which are positioned to the right of knight 6 (when viewed from behind the respective end-most row), wherein rook 1 is immediately adjacent to, and to the left of, knight 3 (when viewed from behind the respective end-most row), rook 2 is immediately adjacent to, and to the left of, rook 1 (when viewed from behind the respective end-most row), rook 3 is immediately adjacent to, and to the left of, rook 2 (when viewed from behind the respective end-most row), rook 4 is immediately adjacent to, and to the right of, knight 6 (when viewed from behind the respective end-most row), rook 5 is immediately adjacent to, and to the right of, rook 4 (when viewed from behind the respective end-most row), and rook 6 is immediately adjacent to, and to the right of, rook 5 (when viewed from behind the respective end-most row).
 3. The chess game for 2 players or 2 teams according to claim 1, wherein the virtual game board is created, visualized, executed, and utilized via a computer, a software program, and a visualization device.
 4. The chess game for 2 players or 2 teams according to claim 3, wherein the virtual playing board is utilized in conjunction with the virtual playing pieces, and visualization of the virtual playing board, and visualization of the virtual playing pieces, are clear to a player of normal visual acuity.
 5. The chess game for 2 players or 2 teams according to claim 3, wherein the visualization device is a computer screen (monitor), a television, or a projector projecting images of the game onto a projection screen or onto any other relatively flat surface, such that visualization of the virtual playing board, and visualization of the virtual playing pieces, are clear to a player of normal visual acuity.
 6. The chess game for 2 players or 2 teams according to claim 1, wherein, in an end-most row, a light playing space occupies the left corner (when viewed from behind the end-most row).
 7. The chess game for 2 players or 2 teams according to claim 1, wherein the light and dark playing spaces of the playing board are two differently colored playing spaces.
 8. The chess game for 2 players or 2 teams according to claim 1, wherein the light and dark playing pieces are two differently colored playing pieces.
 9. The chess game for 2 players or 2 teams according to claim 1, wherein the set of playing rules that differs from conventional, old-in-the-art chess rules, differs with respect to the following: at a respective player's or team's option, one, two, or three movements of playing pieces may be made for the player's or team's respective turn; at a player's or team's option, a king may be moved one or two playing spaces forward, backward, sideways, or diagonally; at a player's or team's option, on its first move in a game, a pawn may be moved from one up to six playing spaces forward, and one or two playing spaces forward thereafter in subsequent playing turns; at a player's or team's option, when using a pawn in an attack mode against an opponent's playing piece, the pawn must be moved diagonally forward one or two playing spaces in order to capture the opponent's playing piece; at a player's or team's option, a knight may be moved in an L shape according to various options, comprising: in a first direction, two playing spaces forward, sideways, or backward, followed by movement in a second direction one playing space 90 degrees to the left or right relative to the first direction; in a first direction, one playing space forward, sideways, or backward, followed by movement in a second direction two playing spaces 90 degrees to the left or right relative to the first direction; in a first direction, four playing spaces forward, sideways, or backward, followed by movement in a second direction two playing spaces 90 degrees to the left or right relative to the first direction; and in a first direction, two playing spaces forward, sideways, or backward, followed by movement in a second direction four playing spaces 90 degrees to the left or right relative to the first direction.
 10. The chess game for 2 players or 2 teams according to claim 9, wherein the set of playing rules that differs from conventional, old-in-the-art chess rules further comprises: at a player's or team's option, castling may be effected by moving the king in a first direction five playing spaces to the left or right, followed by the involved rook (that is positioned in the corner of the first direction of movement of the king) being moved in the opposite direction of the first direction of movement of the king, over the king, and positioned to the side of, and immediately adjacent to, the king, wherein castling can only be effected when there are not one or more playing pieces located between the king and the involved rook.
 11. The chess game for 2 players or 2 teams according to claim 3, wherein the software program enables players' or teams' movement of virtual playing pieces on the virtual playing board according to movements allowed by the instant set of playing rules that differs from conventional, old-in-the-art chess rules.
 12. The chess game for 2 players or 2 teams according to claim 11, wherein the software program limits the movement of virtual playing pieces to only those movements allowed by the instant set of playing rules that differs from conventional, old-in-the-art chess rules.
 13. The chess game for 2 players or 2 teams according to claim 4, wherein visualization of the virtual playing board and visualization of the virtual playing pieces require a magnification means to be clear to a player of normal visual acuity.
 14. The chess game for 2 players or 2 teams according to claim 5, wherein visualization of the virtual playing board and visualization of the virtual playing pieces require a magnification means to be clear to a player of normal visual acuity.
 15. The chess game for 2 players or 2 teams according to claim 13, wherein the magnification means comprises a magnifying glass, a computer, a scanner, a camera, a microscope, a projector, or a photocopy machine.
 16. The chess game for 2 players or 2 teams according to claim 14, wherein the magnification means comprises a magnifying glass, a computer, a scanner, a camera, a microscope, a projector, or a photocopy machine.
 17. A chess game for 2 players or 2 teams, comprising: a game board having a variable number of playing spaces that are arranged in an array of alternating light and dark playing spaces (in the direction of forward and backward columns, and of sideways rows), wherein the variable number of playing spaces is greater than the number of playing spaces of a conventional, old-in-the-art chess game board, the number of playing spaces in the columns is an even number, and the number of playing spaces in the rows is an even number, and opposite ends, each of which is the territory of a respective player or team, wherein, in an end-most row, a light playing space occupies the right corner (when viewed from behind the respective end-most row), and the game board may be a physical game board, or a virtual game board; two expanded sets of playing pieces (one light and one dark), wherein the set of light playing pieces and the set of dark playing pieces each comprise 1 king, plus a variable number of pawns, queens, bishops, knights, and rooks, wherein, at commencement of a game, each set of playing pieces occupies their respective two end-most rows of the game board, wherein the next-to-the-end-most row is occupied solely and entirely by pawns; and the end-most row is occupied by one king, one or more queens, and two or more each of bishops, knights, and rooks; and a set of playing rules that differs from conventional, old-in-the-art chess rules.
 18. The chess game for 2 players or 2 teams according to claim 17, wherein, at, or prior to, commencement of a game, the value of the variable number of playing spaces of the game board is selectable by one of the players or teams, or by mutual agreement of the two players or the two teams, and the number of queens, bishops, knights, and rooks is each selectable by one of the players or teams, or by mutual agreement of the two players or the two teams.
 19. The chess game for 2 players or 2 teams according to claim 18, wherein, at commencement of a game and for each respective side, the positions of the playing pieces are comparable to their playing positions in conventional chess in that (when viewed from behind the respective end-most row) the one or more rooks on the right side of the game board will always be located to the left of the one or more knights on the right side of the game board, the one or more knights on the right side of the game board will always be located to the right of the one or more bishops on the right side of the game board, and to the left of the one or more rooks on the right side of the game board, the one or more bishops on the right side of the game board will always be located to the right of the one or more queens, and to the left of the one or more knights on the right side of the game board, the one or more queens will always be located to the right of the king, and to the left of the one or more bishops on the right side of the game board, the king will always be to the right of the one or more bishops on the left side of the game board, and to the left of the one or more queens, the one or more bishops on the left side of the game board will always be located to the right of the one or more knights on the left side of the game board, and to the left of the king, the one or more knights on the left side of the game board will always be located to the right of the one or more rooks on the left side of the game board, and to the left of the one or more bishops on the left side of the game board, the one or more rooks on the left side of the game board will always be located to the left of the one or more knights on the left side of the playing board, and all of the pawns for each respective side will fully occupy all of the playing spaces in the respective next-to-the-end-most row.
 20. The chess game for 2 players or 2 teams according to claim 19, wherein the set of playing rules differs from conventional, old-in-the-art chess rules with respect to the following: at a respective player's or team's option, more than one consecutive movement of playing pieces may be made for the player's or team's respective turn, the maximum number of allowed consecutive movements being as mutually decided by the two sides at, or prior to, commencement of the game; at a respective player's or team's option, a king may be moved more than one playing space forward, backward, sideways, or diagonally, the number of allowed playing spaces of movement being as mutually decided by the two sides, at or prior to, commencement of the game; at a respective player's or team's option, on its first move in a game, a pawn may be moved any selected number of unobstructed playing spaces forward, and any selected number of unobstructed playing spaces forward thereafter, the respective number of allowed playing spaces of movement for these respective two options being as mutually decided by the two sides at, or prior to, commencement of the game; at a respective player's or team's option, when using a pawn in an attack mode against an opponent's playing piece, the pawn may be moved diagonally forward more than one playing space in order to capture the opponent's playing piece, the maximum number of allowed diagonal playing spaces of movement per turn being as mutually decided by the two sides at, or prior to, commencement of the game; and at a respective player's or team's option, a knight may be moved in an L shape according to variable options, comprising: in a first direction, one or more playing spaces forward, sideways, or backward, followed by movement in a second direction one or more playing spaces 90 degrees to the left or right relative to the first direction, the maximum allowed number of playing spaces of movement in the first and second directions being as mutually decided by the two sides at, or prior to, commencement of the game.
 21. The chess game for 2 players or 2 teams according to claim 20, wherein the set of playing rules differs from conventional, old-in-the-art chess rules with respect to decisions as to the maximum number of allowed playing spaces of movement of the respective playing pieces, wherein such decisions are made by one player or one team on behalf of both players or both teams.
 22. The chess game for 2 players or 2 teams according to claim 21, wherein the set of playing rules differs from conventional, old-in-the-art chess rules with respect to decisions as to the maximum number of allowed playing spaces of movement of the playing pieces, wherein the decision as to which one player or one team makes the decision may optionally be made by chance, comprising by flip of a coin or other physical or virtual entity that has two non-identical sides, by use of a random number generating routine, by use of a random number table, by drawing straws, by use of a die or multiple dice, by use of a rock-paper-scissors type of routine, or by any other chance based routine or activity.
 23. The chess game for 2 players or 2 teams according to claim 21, wherein the set of playing rules differs from conventional, old-in-the-art chess rules with respect to decisions as to the maximum number of allowed playing spaces of movement of the respective playing pieces, wherein, after commencement of the game, such decisions may be changed one or more times by the same one player or one team, or by the second player or second team.
 24. The chess game for 2 players or 2 teams, comprising a game board having a variable number of playing spaces according to claim 17, wherein, in place of the conventional, old-in-the-art chess game checkmate rule, the game is scored according to respective points assigned per respective type of playing piece captured of the opponent.
 25. The chess game for 2 players or 2 teams, comprising a game board having a variable number of playing spaces according to claim 17, wherein, for a physical game board, the variable number of playing spaces can be controlled by overlaying the physical game board with a flat board having a right angle cut-out such that the flat board can cover the playing spaces determined not to be in play for a given game.
 26. The chess game for 2 players or 2 teams, comprising a game board having a variable number of playing spaces according to claim 25, wherein the flat board having a right angle cut-out and the physical game board employ an attachment means to hold them in firmly in place, relative to each other, during game playing.
 27. The chess game for 2 players or 2 teams, comprising a game board having a variable number of playing spaces according to claim 26, wherein the attachment means comprises Velcro®, one or more sets of hook-and-eye fasteners, a Post-It-Notes® type of reuseable glue or other reuseable glue, rubber cement, double sided tape, and single sided tape folded flat on itself into a flat configuration so that the sticky side is available to effect adherence on at least two different sides.
 28. The chess game for 2 players or 2 teams according to claim 19, wherein, at commencement of a game and for each respective side, the positions of the playing pieces are allowed to to be in relative playing positions that are different from those relative playing positions in conventional chess, except for the pawns and the king.
 29. The chess game for 2 players or 2 teams according to claim 28, wherein, each respective side independently determines the relative positions of its playing pieces.
 30. The chess game for 2 players or 2 teams according to claim 29, wherein, just prior to commencement of a game, each respective side positions its playing pieces without the knowledge of the other side.
 31. The chess game for 2 players or 2 teams according to claim 28, wherein, the relative playing positions that are different from those relative playing positions in conventional chess can include the position of the king.
 32. The chess game for 2 players or 2 teams according to claim 20, wherein, the the set of playing rules that differs from conventional, old-in-the-art chess rules further comprises: at a player's or team's option, castling may be effected by moving the king in a first direction a selected number of playing spaces respectively to the left or right, followed by the involved rook (that is the first rook positioned respectively the left or the right of the king) being moved in the opposite direction of the first direction of movement of the king, over the king, and positioned to the side of, and immediately adjacent to, the king, wherein the selected number of playing spaces of movement of the king in the first direction is any number that would move the king from one playing space up to the number of playing spaces required to move the king to the playing space immediately before, and adjacent to, the involved rook, and castling can only be effected when there are not one or more playing pieces located between the king and the involved rook. 